Students leave the Utica College student center after a multi-hour lockdown on Monday morning. Hundreds of students were escorted to the center with their hands up by police after spending several hours in dark, barricaded classrooms.

This article by Syracuse.com writers Catie O'Toole and Patrick Lohmann.

UTICA, N.Y. -- Utica College has lifted its lockdown, and students and staff were released to leave the campus.

"Residential students can return to their residence halls. Commuters, faculty and staff can collect their belongings," the college announced on Twitter. "Law enforcement will remain on campus this evening and continue the investigation."

College officials announced Monday morning that they had received a "real, credible threat" of a person with weapons. The college was put into a lockdown at 11:12 a.m.

Students and staff hid in rooms, locking doors and staying away from windows. Some took shelter under desks.

Armed police officers searched every building at the college. The officers later released students and staff to the Strebel Student Center and Clark Athletic Center, two "safe zones," police and college officials said.

"A secondary sweep of all buildings is underway," Utica police and college officials said in a news release later Monday afternoon.

Students could be seen streaming out of the Strebel Student Center around 4:45 p.m.

One student, Marangely Delgado, said she was locked in the financial aid office for three and a half hours, sitting in the dark. When a cell phone would go off, students would shush the offender, she said.

"There were two people sleeping," she said. "I don't know why."

Officers came in carrying weapons and instructed students to put their bags on their chests and hold their hands up. The students were escorted to the cafeteria, where free food was provided.

MacKenzie Lowden was in her English class taking an in-class essay.

"All of a sudden people started running into the room. We were in lockdown," she said. "It just escalated from there, people started banging on the door, jerking the handle. It was just really scary."

Students barricaded the door with desks and turned the lights off. They were in the room for more than three hours.

"I was texting with my parents, my sister, my brother. I was trying to keep them updated but I didn't really know what was going on."

She said she was terrified by the experience.

"Florida just happened. Las Vegas just happened," she said. "The world we live in just really crazy. It's scary. You never know where it could happen. You never know where you're safe."

Utica police are working with federal, state and local law enforcement agencies to investigate the threat.

UPDATE cont: Remain where you are until you receive instruction from law enforcement. Residential students to be escorted back to res halls by law enforcement, and must remain there until lockdown is lifted. Individuals who leave campus cannot return until lockdown is lifted.